Andy Cohen Breaks Silence on 'Hurtful' Claims of Bravo Exploitation: 'It's No Fun to Be a Target'

Andy Cohen is sharing his thoughts for the first time on the claims made against him and Bravo by former Housewives stars.

The executive producer of the Real Housewives franchise told The Hollywood Reporter that the claims are "hurtful" as he spoke about the allegations he’s faced from the likes of Leah McSweeney, NeNe Leakes and Brandi Glanville, among others.

“Obviously, it’s no fun to be a target,” he said. “But I have no regrets about the way I’ve handled anything. I think everything that happens in your life informs the next thing that happens in your life. That’s the way I look at all this. I know what the truth is and I know how I’ve conducted myself, and I walk tall every day on that.”

Cohen, 55, said he’s “incredibly proud of the close relationships I’ve built in my 20 years” at Bravo, as he noted that he believes “most people involved with these shows have been very grateful for the platform.”

The longtime TV host has been the subject of various allegations of inappropriate conduct by former Bravo stars, including Glanville, who claims he sent her an inappropriate recording back in 2022. 

The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star’s attorney sent a letter on her behalf alleging that she is “a victim of sexual harassment at Bravo by none other than Andy Cohen” to NBCUniversal (Bravo's parent company), Warner Bros, and production company Shed Media,

“In a video sent by Mr. Cohen to Ms. Glanville in 2022, Mr. Cohen — appearing obviously inebriated — boasted of his intention to sleep with another Bravo star that night while thinking of her and invited her to watch via Facetime,” the letter, which was obtained by PEOPLE, said. 

Cohen issued an apology on X (formerly known as Twitter) the same day, writing, “The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandi’s response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize.”

Days later, McSweeney, a former Real Housewives of New York City star, filed a lawsuit against Cohen and Bravo, claiming that the network creates a “rotted” culture where there’s pressure to consume alcohol and drugs, as she noted her history with “alcohol use disorder" was discriminated against by producers in documents obtained by PEOPLE.

McSweeney, 41, also claimed that Cohen "engages in cocaine use with Housewives and other 'Bravolebrities' that he employs," and has a "proclivity for cocaine usage with his employees" that leads to "more favorable treatment and edits" for certain Housewives.

Cohen’s attorney, Orin Snyder, responded to McSweeney's filing in a letter obtained by PEOPLE. Snyder expressed that it is "littered with false, offensive, and defamatory statements” and called for her to “immediately” retract and withdraw her claims.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Leakes as well as Bethenny Frankel have both previously spoken out about their time on Bravo — and specifically with Cohen — in a negative light, and in a September episode of Frankel's Just B with Bethenny Frankel, they both admitted to feeling like he never "liked" them.

Leakes described friendship with him as "a real game," and Frankel agreed, saying, "There's a psychology that goes on with this group and this show. He used to be an executive and he's a producer so there's this power play."

Months before, Frankel had called for a "reality reckoning" and began advocating for changes in the world of unscripted TV.

Leakes also sued Cohen, Bravo and NBC Universal in April 2022, alleging they violated federal employment and anti-discrimination laws. Leakes later dismissed her lawsuit in August 2022.